Simple Seconds
by Riko-San
Summary: That damn Greanbean was at it again. Off into the Maze he went, after Minho and Alby. Of course, she would have too, had Gally not been holding her back. Minho x OC
1. Anxiety and Relief

**I'm taking a break from _Final Fantasy XV_ to dip into the _Maze Runner_ trilogy. This blends some of the first book and film, since I love both. I may write more but since this is just giving me a break from my other fic, _Hearth and Home,_ we'll see how this goes.** **Can anyone guess where Marie gets her name?** **Feel free to shoot me a PM or drop a review.**

That damn Greenbean was at it again.

Standing at the West Gate, watching for Minho and Alby to come back. Like he was obsessed. It was past the time for them to come back- all the other Runners had returned already. The sun had yet to begin setting- still, the towering stone walls were only minutes from closing, and there was no sign of the Keeper or Leader.

Soon there were others that joined Thomas at the gate, others like Newt, Zart, Chuck, and Frypan. Even Winston had ceased his blade to stand there, watching the Maze for any signs of life. Soon everybody, even Gally, waited in front of that damned gate.

Even Newt's sister, who seldom showed herself except at meetings and when she returned from running the Maze, had come to wait. Marie was shorter than her brother by a few inches, though they were the same age- Fraternal twins that had come up in the box together two years ago. Like Newt, her hair was a streaked blonde and fell below her shoulders, but it was more curly and unruly. Her nose was crooked from a fight she got into years back, before the Maze. Marie stood next to her brother, arms crossed. Her brown eyes flickered from Newt to the Maze, anxiety beginning to swell in her chest.

She told herself they would make it. They had to. Minho was smart- He wasn't the Keeper of the Runners for nothing. He had the Maze memorized. Marie chanted those thoughts in her head. They had to. They had to. They ha-

"Look!" It was Thomas' voice that brought her from her thoughts.

When she looked, her heart thumped ten times harder.

Minho was there, at the end of the path that led from the West Gate into the Maze, panting hard. Alby was slumped against him, his arm slung over Minho's shoulder. Sweat dripped down Minho's face, his mouth twisted in agony as he struggled to pull Alby along. He looked exhausted.

Everyone started screaming at once, but it was all muffled for Marie. Then suddenly a scream poured from her mouth, ripping from her throat a sound she had never heard before, " _Minho!"_

He looked straight at her, then, and she knew.

He wasn't fast enough, not this time.

Marie's feet moved before she did, bringing her a step closer to the Maze. Her mind raced- She was fast, the fastest Runner in the Glade, she could make it, she could _get to him, and-_

Strong arms gripped her shoulders and jerked her back, pulling her against a broad chest. Marie tried to jerk out of her captor's grip, but to avail.

"Gally!" She yelled, pushing against him roughly, "get ya bloody hands off me!"

"No! I'm not letting you kill yourself in that death trap!" Gally spat back. He grunted as she struggled, her hair flying up into his face. Gally held her flush against him, still, though Marie kicked up into the air and fought with all she had. Finally, all she could do was stand limply and watch as her worst nightmare unfolded.

A loud screech interrupted the calm air, cutting through the peace as the huge Maze doors began to close, metal sliding along metal making sparks fly. With the closing doors came an intense fear blossoming in Marie's chest as a sick realization settled in.

The doors were closing for the night.

She screamed along with the other boys until her throat was raw.

Suddenly, just as the doors shut completely, the greenbean made a move, darting away from the Gladers. Newt yelled his name, stepping forward to stop him, but it was too late.

Thomas slipped through the Maze doors just as they shut, and they did with a deafening sigh.

It took several moments of dumb silence before anyone moved.

Marie felt Gally's grip on her loosen and she sprung into action, shoving him away roughly. "Have you lost your shucking mind!" She shouted horsely. "I could have-"

"We can't afford losing anyone else! It's bad enough that slinthead decided to take off!" Gally yelled back, pointing toward the Maze doors accusingly.

Marie, quick tempered as she was, was furious. Her blood boiled in her veins, her chest heavy and her head throbbing. She knew he was right, but she didn't want to believe it. In a sudden rush of bravado, she began to lunge at him, but it was Newt who stopped her this time. He grabbed her upper arm, yanking her back to his side. Marie didn't bother trying to fight him.

"Newt, we have to-" She began, but he raised his hand to interrupt her.

"The doors have closed for the night," Newt's voice was strained, as if he were trying too hard to sound strong, "Tomorrow, when they open, we'll know if they made it."

"No one's made it a night in the Maze," Winston piped up, but he quickly shut his mouth when Marie shot him a dirty look.

"Winston's right, there's no use hoping they live. Might as well pick a new Keeper," Gally added.

"Shut it, Gally," Marie spat at him. She shrugged off Newt's hand and walked up to him, unfazed by the extra foot of height he had compared to her. Marie pointed at him, her finger just inches from his face. "Next time you try to stop me from going into that maze," She said, her voice low, dangerous, "I will throw you over the shucking Cliff myself. Got that?"

She didn't give him a chance to respond, however, and turned away from him. No one dared to follow her as she headed for the Homestead, instead watching her retreating form in the coming twilight. Newt shot Gally a stern look as he went to join her. He knew he would hear it from the other Keepers later if he didn't calm her down now.

Newt found her in the back room, messing with something she pulled from her pants-pocket. It was a key, one she was given when she became the second-in-command to Minho. Newt pushed back the particularly painful memory of why she was _only_ the second-in-command to the Keeper, pushing down his own guilt as he walked over to her. Marie bent down and began unlocking the locked door to the basement.

"Just what the bloody hell are you doing?" Newt asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

Marie didn't answer him at first, heading straight to the table with the knives. Newt sprung forward, grabbing her wrist just as she was reaching for a blade.

"Marie," Newt commanded, "answer me."

"First light. I'm taking two runners with me and we're going to look for them," Marie said, pulling away from him.

"Gally won't have that-"

" _Gally_ isn't the Keeper of the Runners at the moment, is he?" Marie went back to inspecting the knives, making Newt shake his head.

"Marie, stop," He said gently. "You're going to throw yourself into one of your fits." Newt watched her sigh. They both knew how easy it was for her to get worked up, especially after his accident, when the fits all began. Marie hated them, as they rendered her a useless mess of hysteria. She knew Newt was right- if she had a fit, it wouldn't help anyone at all.

Marie set down the knife slowly. Now that she had calmed down, she only felt exhausted. She agreed to wait it out till morning, to see if anyone had survived. Newt was relieved to see her finally calm, and even more so when she followed him back up the stairs and outside the Homestead.

No one dared say anything to her about her outburst, mainly because everyone was quite surprised. Marie was extremely quiet and reclusive, unlike her friendly brother. Many of the Gladers didn't even know her name. The only common knowledge of her was that she was close to Newt, Alby, and Minho, and she was a blindingly fast Runner.

Not only were they hesitant to say anything, they were hesitant to sleep next to her. Laying in her sleeping bag under the stars, Marie tried to ignore the deep rumbling of the Maze as it changed its pattern. She felt a familiar anxiety coil deep in her gut, and she pushed it down by counting Newt's breaths as he slept next to her.

The next morning, Marie and Chuck were the first ones at the doors when they opened for the day. Newt and the others approached them. Normally, the Runners would leave as soon as the doors opened, but no one would be leaving until it was decided what happened to Thomas, Minho, and Alby.

Marie felt her stomach drop as she peered into the empty corridor. The wind shuffled the vines gripping the huge grey walls. There was no sound, no life. Just the empty, dreary Maze. Newt placed a hand on her shoulder as she dropped her gaze to the ground. Chuck sighed. Marie barely heard what Newt said to him. She was trying to hold back the sinking feeling in her chest.

The first time Minho wasn't fast enough was the last.

Newt wrapped his arm around her shoulder as every one turned to leave, and she leaned her head on him and closed her eyes, letting him lead her away from the doors.

Then Zart glanced back at the Maze and stopped. "...No way," He said in disbelief.

Chuck exclaimed suddenly, "Yeah!"

Marie and Newt turned suddenly, the others following suit. All the wind rushed out of her at what she saw.

There was Minho and Thomas, Alby hanging between them. They were almost falling against each other, each step staggering dangerously. Relief exploded in Marie's chest and she took off, sprinting at them full speed while the others behind her cheered. Newt limped after her, with Zart and Winston following. Zart and Winston took Alby and carried him toward the Glade while Marie and Newt helped Minho and Thomas respectively. Marie took Minho's arm and pulled it over her shoulder, letting him settle against her.

"Hold up," He winced, trying to keep from putting his full weight on her. Marie shook her head.

"I've got you, don't worry," She said. Marie nodded to Newt, who was already helping Thomas back to the Maze.

The entire Glade was ablaze with excited chatter. Everyone was asking questions, and Newt had to calm them down and send them back to work. That worked for a little while, until Minho told them what had happened, that Thomas killed a Griever. That was all Marie heard about for the next two hours as she helped Clint and Jeff tend to Thomas, Minho, and Alby. A night in the Maze had done a number on them, though it was Alby that was the most concerning- His breath was steady but quick and he was extremely pale and clammy, all signs of being stung. Marie couldn't bear the thought of seeing him so vulnerable, as he was normally the backbone of the Glade. She decided to leave him with Clint and Jeff and tend to Minho and Thomas.

Marie shifted around the room Minho was in, bringing in a bowl of water and a rag. Minho was laying on the bed, conscious (unlike Thomas, who fell asleep right when he laid down on his cot) and watching her with tired eyes. He looked exhausted, his entire body covered in cuts and bruises. Minho tried sitting up as she approached. Marie sat down on the side of his cot and dipped the corner of the rag into the bowl of water. Minho grunted when she started cleaning up a particularly long cut on his shoulder.

"You look like klunk," Maire muttered.

"Gee, ya know," Minho scoffed, "it's almost like I spent a night in the Maze."

She pinched him then, making him jump. "Slim it. I was actually worried about you for once."

"Oh? Afraid you'd have to take over for me, huh?" Minho said, smirking at her.

Marie bit back a laugh as she wiped the blood from his shoulder. "As if _I'd_ be afraid, love. I might even lead better than you," She looked at him then, their eyes locking.

Minho took note of the way the dim light from the almost-burnt out light bulb overhead cast shadows over her face. He had to look away for a moment, but looked at her again, this time with that trademark smirk on his face. Marie thought he looked cocky at best, but Minho was always cocky. He leaned forward, thinking perhaps she'd move back, but she didn't.

"When are you going to admit it?" He asked her, watching the light dance in her brown eyes.

"Admit what?" Marie wanted to move back- if Newt or someone else came in, they'd get the wrong idea. But, she wanted to show Minho that she wasn't intimidated by him.

Minho leaned away suddenly, his smirk shifting into a smile. "That you're hopelessly in love with me."

Marie didn't bother holding back her laugh. Her? In love with him? What an idea!Minho's smile grew as she chuckled.

"Minho, I don't love you, but I _do_ care about you," Marie said moving to wet the rag again. She pressed it up against a cut on his cheek. "Don't read so far into what isn't there, love."

"Mmmhmm sure. Just you wait, you'll admit it sooner or later."

Marie stood and tossed the rag to him. He caught it instantly. "Alright. Tell you what, since you're so sure of yourself. If we ever get out of this shuckin' maze, I'll admit that I love you," Marie said this with a cocky smirk of her own. It was the one thing that she could think of that would probably never happen.

Minho's smile grew wider, stretching across his face. He shook his head at her, gesturing at her with the rag.

"That might not be as far off as you think. Thomas is trying to figure the Maze out, and I think he may be onto something," he said.

Marie's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You think its possible? Us getting out of this bloody place?" she asked, her voice quiet. The thought of them leaving had been unheard of for so long, it sparked something in her to hear Minho sound so...optimistic.

"I think it just might be. I also think you should start rehearsing your confession," he smirked again, making her shake her head.

Marie walked over to the door, looking back at him over her shoulder one last time. Minho stared back at her. Injured, but alive. She almost couldn't believe it. Marie informed him that she was going to check on Thomas. Minho didnt answer her, instead watching her leave. He made no move at first, but then smiled to himself and dipped the rag into the water bowl.

Marie kept his words in her head. _I think he may be onto something._

She shook her head as she walked down the hall, to Thomas' room. There was a flutter in her chest that wasn't there before, and it wasn't because of the possibility of escaping.


	2. Tension and Reprieve

**I may not update for a while and I wanted to get this out before I dive back into schoolwork. This is a little longer than the previous chapter and I apologize, but I really wanted to include the Gathering fight scene they left out in the film.**

 **NOTE: Last chapter I said I'd be including elements from both movies** and **books. So for example, in the book, Gally storms out after the meeting fight and runs off into the maze, whereas in the movies he doesn't. So in this fic he would storm out of the meeting but** not **run into the maze. It's confusing, but I have a method to my** **madness, and there's a reason it's happening. Bare with me, guys.**

 **Just wanted to clear that up for the those of you reading who haven't read the books and only watched the movies and vice versa.**

 **Feel free to shoot me a PM or drop a review!**

Tall concrete stretched up to the sky, hiding the sun away. The winds picked up, winding through the cold walls, the twists and turns, the dead ends. The odd green vines that climbed the concrete shifted in the breeze, leaves rustling softly. The sky was crystal blue overhead.

Marie always thought the Maze had a beauty of it's own. She sat against a wall in Sector 6, eating the lunch she had packed that morning. Of course, Newt had tried to convince her not to run that day, since there was no guarantee that it was as safe as they first thought. The other Runners quit, leaving Minho and her to run the Maze alone. She sighed, the noise echoing in the absolute silence of the Maze.

First Ben, then Alby. Marie could be next, if she wasn't careful.

Being in the Maze was always terrifying- The possibility of running into a Griever and the thought of not making it back before the doors closed made her heart thump hard in her chest. But, it had it's benefits. In the Maze, it was quiet. There was one Runner for each sector, so Runners went alone unless there was a specific reason otherwise. Marie was thankful for this, as it gave her time to think about her life. When she ran, she felt as though she got a small part of the old her back, the her that she couldn't remember. Sometimes she wondered if she had always loved running, or if it were just hardwired into her survival instincts.

There were things she could and couldn't remember, and things she wished she could forget.

Marie leaned her head back against the wall and looked up at the sky. She remembered waking up in the Box, screaming. She couldn't remember her life before. She remembered Newt's accident.

A scuffling sound made her turn her head. She was sitting right near a corner, where the sound was coming from, and it was getting close fast.

Marie shot up from her spot, dropping her lunch and stepping backwards. Her hand went to her side, where her knife was. She pulled it out and held it steady, pressing her back against the wall.

A tall boy with long blonde hair turned the corner suddenly. He jumped back as soon as he saw her there, nearly screaming. Marie sighed and put her knife away.

"Dan! Shuck, what are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms. "I thought you quit running."

"I did," Dan said, glancing around nervously. He rubbed his arm. "Newt told me to get you. They're having a Gathering about Thomas."

Marie shifted on her foot, looking around. She huffed, somewhat irritated. "They're doing that _now?_ I thought we agreed to have that tonight," Her irritation was on full display, crossing her arms. She hadn't even got to finish her run.

Dan shrugged his shoulders wordlessly. Marie wanted to keep running, but she knew she had to be at the Gathering. Newt wouldn't start without her, and Gally would be down her throat about it if she made them wait. Marie eyed her half-eaten lunch strewn across the ground, and her stomach growled. After a few minutes of thinking, she grumbled under her breath, "Alright, let's go."

Marie felt everyone's eyes on her as she entered the Gathering room. All nine Keepers were present, along with Newt and Thomas. She was panting from her run, sweat running down her face and neck and soaking her shirt. Her hair was damp with it, curly wildly. Thomas sat in a chair in the center of the room. His brown eyes, which had been glancing around nervously, settled on her. Marie saw some hope flicker there, but she returned it with a blank stare.

"Glad to see you've joined us," Newt said, writing something down on the clipboard in his hand. His voice was light and playful.

"We could've had this tonight and saved the trouble," Marie scoffed, crossing her arms. "Go on, then."

She went over and sat near Minho as Newt started the meeting. Minho hadn't run that day, as he still wasn't completely healed up, and he smirked at her when she sat down.

"You look like klunk," He muttered, mocking what she had said just days prior. Newt started recapping the events of Thomas' night in the Maze.

"Slim it," She whispered back, "I didn't even get to finish my run."

" _That's_ why you look like a pissed wet cat?"

"I said _slim it,_ " Marie elbowed him in the side, making him wince.

"Having fun over there?" Gally's snippy voice cut through Newt's. Everyone turned to look at Marie and Minho. Minho opened his mouth to speak, but Marie's irritation got the best of her.

"A blast. Can we move on?" She asked, trying to ignore the pounding headache that had begun to form behind her eyes.

Marie didn't listen to half of what Newt was saying throughout the meeting- she was too focused on her stomach, which was getting louder with every passing minute, and her head, which was pounding by the time Newt asked for everyone's opinion on what to do with Thomas. Speaking of the Greenbean, every few moments he would glance in her direction curiously.

Thomas was indeed curious about her. She had spoken more in the past three days than in the whole two weeks he'd been there, and was by far the most intriguing person in the Glade. When Thomas had question Newt at the bonfire about her, Newt simply shrugged and said there was nothing special about her. But, Thomas had this feeling in his gut since the first glimpse he caught of her. Her secretiveness was setting off alarms in his head, as if he had definitely seen her before.

"All right, we'll go in a circle and see what everyone thinks," Newt said, writing down on his clipboard. "Winston, what do you think should happen to Thomas?"

Most of the Keepers went one way or another between wanting to punish Thomas or wanting to reward him, but no one wanted to punish him too bad or go so far as to banish him. Everyone except Gally.

"We have these rules to keep us safe and keep everyone in order. _This_ _shank-"_ Gally pointed at Thomas accusingly, "knew the rules and _still_ ran out-"

Marie suddenly spoke up. "Yes, Gally we are _well aware_ of what Thomas did. Can you _please_ get to your bloody point already!" She exclaimed, irritation boiling over. If she had to listen to one more synopsis of Thomas' crime, she felt as though she would rip her hair out. Her stomach was aching.

Gally shot her a sharp look before continuing, "I think he's a spy for the Creators."

The room was in an uproar. Everyone was talking and shouting over one another. Marie rolled her eyes so hard her head physically moved. Never had she heard something so ridiculous in her life. As Newt struggled to get the room back in order, Marie examined Thomas. Brown hair and eyes, not in any better shape than the Greenies that usually showed up in the Box. He wasn't a spy, there was no way. Had he been, he wouldn't look as scared as he did.

"Think about it!" Gally shouted as everyone calmed down, "He's only been in the Glade, what, two _weeks,_ and he just so happens to survive a night in the Maze? Which, let me remind you, _no one_ has ever done."

"Alright, Alright! Everyone quiet down!" Newt yelled. He turned to Gally, "Now that you've disrupted the peace, Gally, tall us what you think we should do with him."

Gally stared at Thomas for some time before stating: "I think we should lock him in the Slammer for one month and do a retrial."

All of the Keepers muttered amongst themselves. At this point, Marie's mood was beyond sour. Gally was always arrogant, and his reputation among the Keepers had suffered for it. As for her personal relationship with him, Marie and Gally had argued before, even going so far as to physically wrestling during previous bonfires. However, the two didn't hate each other by any means. Instead, Marie tended to keep her distance from Gally, and he reciprocated the action gladly.

Newt sighed heavily, writing the suggestion down on his clipboard. "A little harsh," He muttered under his breath. Newt looked at Minho next. "You're up Minho. What do you say?"

Everyone suddenly quietened. Marie even felt her head quit pounding so she could listen. Whatever Minho said, it would decide what happened to Thomas. Minho thought for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Finally, he looked at Newt.

"I was the only one who was there. I saw what he did," Minho looked at Marie briefly before continuing. "I nominate Thomas to replace me as Keeper of the Runners."

Marie's mouth dropped open, brown eyes wide in shock. Everyone was completely silent. Thomas stared at him in disbelief.

Then everyone started arguing at once. Seven Keepers were saying one thing or another, with Marie and Minho being the only ones silent. Minho looked at her and saw the questioning in her eyes, but didn't say anything. Marie was dumbfounded. A part of her said this was a joke- Minho always joked about nominating someone else for Keeper of the Runners, just to get her worked up. Surely he wasn't serious.

Newt was having trouble getting everyone to calm down again, but it was Gally's voice that cut through the chaos.

"That's ridiculous! This shank should be banned from the Council for even saying something like that!" Gally yelled.

Marie stood up, and everyone shut their mouths abruptly. Aside from her snarky comments earlier, everyone wanted to hear what she said. Marie's reaction was what everyone was waiting for.

"Minho," Marie said slowly, "Explain yourself. Now."

Minho took a breath. He had expected her to be more angry with him. "Look, guys. I was the only one out there with him, and out of all of us, Marie and I are the only ones who are in the Maze on a regular basis."

"I was out there once-" Gally began, but Marie interrupted him.

"You were only out there because you broke the same shuckin' rule you're condemning Thomas for," She snapped. "Slim it, hypocrite."

Gally grumbled something inaudible, but settled down.

Minho glanced at her gratefully before beginning again. "We all remember how we acted when we first entered the Glade. Scared, panicked, klunking our pants. Crying every hour, not trusting anyone, not doing any work. But this shank-" he pointed at Thomas, "he went out to save two guys he didn't even know. He stayed behind with Ably while I turned and ran like some slinthead. He questioned what I did instead of following, and it saved Alby's life."

Marie was too taken back by Minho's speech to register what Gally said next. Minho was always confident, collected, calm. He always knew what to do and when to do it. She had looked up to him because of that ever since she started running. To hear him sound so...sincere, maybe even scared? Of course, he'd been scared, but...it made her chest ache with something she wasn't familiar with.

It was Minho's voice, hard and sharp, that made her snap her attention back to the situation at hand. "Gally, you've never tried out to be a runner or asked to be, not once. You're a sissy who doesn't have the right to talk about things you don't understand. So shut it," Minho barked.

Everyone was frozen, waiting for someone to make a move. Gally stood from his seat suddenly. "Talk to me like that again and I'll break your neck!" He spat.

Minho only laughed bitterly. Marie stepped between them quickly, but Minho pushed her aside and shoved Gally to the floor. Marie stumbled backwards on her feet but stayed upright and surged forward.

"Minho, stop this!" She said urgently, trying to pull him off. Minho didn't seem to hear her, however, and held her at a distance with one hand pushing against her chest. "Please!"

Gally struggled to get up, curses spewing from his mouth. Minho raised his foot and kicked him square in his back, driving him back into the floor. Cold fear spiked through Marie's chest- Minho didn't have a terrible temper, but he could be quite irrational when angered. Gally was the Keeper of the Builders, and had the muscled form to prove it, but Minho was the strongest in the Glade. Gally wouldn't stand a chance.

"Don't ever speak to me again or I'll break _your_ neck," Minho said lowly, leaning forward towards Gally.

Finally, Marie took Minho's wrist, pulled it away, and wrenched it to the side, twisting his arm behind his back. Newt and Winston rushed forward, pulling Minho away so Gally could stand. Gally stood, stumbling slightly. Marie reached out to steady him but he shrugged her away roughly. He pointed at Minho, heaving angrily. "Watch yourself!" To Newt, he continued, "And you. You're a pathetic leader for ever letting something like this happen." Then he shifted his focus to Thomas, who stared back with wide, frightened eyes. "I've seen you, I swear it. Whatever you came here for, I'll stop it. Kill you if I have to."

Then he stormed out of the room, leaving everyone behind.

No one spoke at first. Marie exhaled, "Shit."

Minho turned to Newt. "That shank had it coming. He threatened me and Thomas. He's jacked."

Newt nodded in agreement. He locked eyes with Marie, silently asking if she was alright. She nodded, breathing out again slowly. Winston shook his head. "I don't think we should just dismiss him. Jacked or not, he recognizes Thomas. And he's been through the Changing. Maybe it's _not_ a coincidence," He said to Newt. Newt tilted his head, as though weighing the option.

Finally, Thomas spoke up. "Can I talk now?"

Marie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She leaned toward Minho, who raised an eyebrow at her. "Tell Newt I vote whatever he decides. I'm gonna head to the Map Room and then to bed."

He nodded at her, puzzled by her sudden behavior. Marie closed the door behind her as she left. It was only when she breathed in the clean air of the Glade that she realize how stuffy the Homestead had become. The air actually helped her headache a little.

The rest of the Gladers were milling about, getting ready for dinner or finishing up chores. Some of them nodded to her in acknowledgement as she walked past and she nodded back. Just as she was half way to the Map Room, she spotted Gally stomping off to the West Gate. Marie sighed and jogged over to him, picking up a little speed as she neared him.

It was breezy out in the open field, and she tucked her hair behind her ears to keep it out of her face as she slowed to a walk behind him.

"Gally, hold up," Marie said, grabbing his wrist.

Gally shook her off, but stopped walking. His shoulders were heaving with deep breaths. Anger rolled off him in waves.

"Try to calm down," She said slowly, hoping to ease his anger. Gally spun on her, making her take a step back.

"Calm? Calm! How am I supposed to stay calm when they're letting that spy-" He sputtered.

Marie raised a hand to stop him, "We don't know if he's a spy, Gally. We can't assume."

Gally huffed and turned to the Maze, shuffling on his feet. Marie looked around. Everyone was going to the Homestead to eat. Her stomach twisted. Gally looked at her, all anger gone. Marie looked back, and saw that Gally wasn't crazy (at least not _that_ crazy), he was just...scared. Like everyone else.

"Do you believe me, Marie? Do you trust Thomas?" He asked quietly, his gaze shifting back to the Homestead, where the rest of the Keepers were leaving.

Marie sighed again and crossed her arms, moving her weight to her left foot. "I don't know, Gally. I _do_ know that things are changing, and we need to stick together to make things work. Good that?"

He exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah...good that."

Marie reached over and patted his arm before turning and heading to the Map Room. At that point, her head was throbbing awfully and her stomach was cramping. When she finally made it to the Map Room and got a piece of paper and pencil, her mind blanked completely. Marie cursed under her breath as she leaned over the table, racking her brain for any memory of her run. No luck. She should have mapped her route out first instead of going to the meeting.

"Dammit," Marie groaned rubbing her forehead. The whole day had been a waste; her run wasn't worth anything if she couldn't map it out, the Gathering had gotten them nowhere, and she was starving.

The door behind her opened and closed, but she knew who it was.

"I'm startin' to think you're the one who's jacked," She muttered, staring at the blank piece of paper.

Minho leaned against the table just an arm's length away. "You didn't really think I'd give up my spot as a Keeper did ya?" He asked incredulously.

She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "You sounded too sincere. I almost fell for it," She deadpanned.

"You know me too well, shank. But, you can thank me! After tomorrow, Thomas is our new Runner," Minho said, smiling proudly at her.

"So that's what you lot decided? Make 'em a Runner?" She set the paper aside. There was no use beating her brain when she couldn't remember anyway.

Something fell onto the table right in front of her, making her jump. Marie took a moment to examine it- it was a ham sandwich in a plastic baggy. She looked at Minho, both eyebrows raised. "What's this?"

"A sandwich."

" _Minho."_

Minho shrugged his shoulders. "You get cross when you don't eat lunch. I figured I'd grab you something before you bite someone else's head off," He said as if it were obvious.

Marie knew however, what was left unsaid. Frypan was very strict about Gladers eating right before a meal, but Minho knew Marie could eat both and probably more. To think he went to that trouble of sneaking past the cook to make her a sandwich. She couldn't help but smile at him, her smile reaching her eyes and making them light up.

"Thanks, love," Marie said, taking the sandwich out of the bag. "I really appreciate it."

Minho grinned at her. "You can thank me later," His voice was flirtatious and she rolled her eyes.

"You had to ruin it, didn't you?" She asked with a mouthful.

"Always," Minho laughed.

The two continued talking, eventually going from Minho's flirty behavior to the map patterns, until Newt came to get them for dinner.


	3. Familiarity

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The sun was in the middle of the sky, beating down on the Glade relentlessly.

A downside to the Glade was that a large portion of it was in the open, with no trees to provide any shade. This was a particular headache for the Track-Hoes, which was Marie's other job. When she wasn't Running, Marie was often in the Gardens in the North-East corner of the Glade, tilling soil or harvesting vegetables. She loved it almost as much as running, actually- the feel of soil between her hands and the satisfying ' _sching_ ' of the garden hoe she swung as it cut through the air over her head made her feel powerful, in control.

The heat had forced Marie to shed her quarter-sleeved button-down, leaving her to tie it around her waist, and she wore a tank top similar to Newt's. She wasn't the only one to do this, as many Gladers in the fields were either dressed similarly or shirtless to avoid the heat. Marie had pulled her hair up into a pony tail that tickled the base of her neck, scaring her from time to time.

She worked closer to Newt that day, tiling the soil for the tomatoes while he dug out a new patch for carrots. Marie frowned, swing the hoe over her head and into the dirt. "Alby did what?" She asked, not understanding his previous statement.

"Tried to choke himself," Newt muttered. He struck the ground with the shovel and pushed it down into the soil with his good leg. "If Thomas and I hadn't been there, he'd be dead."

Marie shook her head, leaning against her hoe to take a breath. There was a knot building in her gut, coiling into her chest. She felt her chest tighten but pushed it down with deep breaths. She'd been on the verge of having a fit for days, managing to keep it down by distracting herself with work, but it was getting harder to keep at bay.

"You alright?" Newt suddenly asked, concern filling his voice as he noticed her struggling.

Marie nodded, exhaling slowly. "It's about time for a fit, that's all," She said. "All this talk of Alby and Thomas' got me on edge."

Newt watched his sister carefully as she quietly counted her breath. It _had_ been sometime since she last had a fit, though Newt had hoped she wouldn't ever have one again. He'd noticed her declining presence in the open over the last week, ever since the Gathering. She would show up for breakfast, leave for her run, and then head immediately to the Map Room upon returning. After that, she wasn't seen until dinner, and then she disappeared until bedtime. Newt was never sure where she went, or what she did. When Thomas first came, Marie had begun showing her face around the Glade more, but her returning reclusiveness was beginning to worry Newt.

"Where's Minho?" Newt asked her, starting to shovel again. He hoped the change of conversation would distract her.

Marie gestured over at the West Gate doors. "I think he took Thomas with him on his run. Said he was training him."

"Minho's takin' quite a liking to you, you know," Newt said. He returned her questioning gaze with a innocent one.

"He's always been like that," Marie suddenly felt the urge to add ' _ever since we were kids_ ' but she stopped. She wasn't sure where that phrase had come from- she didn't remember anything from childhood. She was quiet a moment as she tried to chase the memory that caused it but it slipped away.

Newt didn't seem to notice her blip. "I'm just sayin'. Maybe I ought to have a little chat with him," His voice was teasing and raised his eyebrows at her, making her laugh.

"You're jacked!" She said in-between laughs, "You know better than-"

An ear-piercing shriek shot through the Glade, making everyone jump. All of the Gladers stopped what they were doing and turned to the homestead, where the scream came from. Marie's first thought was that it was Clint or Jeff, and she suddenly thought of Alby. Did he try to strangle himself again?

Another shriek resounded, followed by screams of "Get away from me!". Marie's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. She looked at Newt in horror and he stared back in shock. The screams were too high pitched to be a normal Glader, and Marie wasn't screaming.

The girl from the box had woken up.

Some of the Gladers ran to investigate the commotion, only to hastily move out of the way as the door to the Homestead burst open. There was a blur of black and blue at first, rushing through the Glade. Some of the Gladers tried (in vain) to catch her, but she made a beeline to the spotting tower. Marie and Newt simultaneously shot from their spots in the Garden, sprinting across the fields to the tower. Marie passed him quickly, leaving him to limp as fast as he could.

Gally was among the group that had begun to form at the tower's base. He glanced over at Marie as she slowed to a stop next to him.

"Damn girl's hiding up there," He muttered, putting his hands on his hips.

"Can't say I blame her," Marie said, shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up, "I'd hide too if I woke up to you lot."

Suddenly rocks began falling from the top of the tower, like some sort of meteor shower of rocks. Some of the Gladers got hit, and others ran for cover. Gally swore and ducked under a large board someone was holding up, pulling Marie with him. Newt ducked under with her, yelling for someone to find Thomas and Minho.

"Get away! Stay away from me!" The girl shouted down at them, throwing more rocks.

There was one Glader, a boy named Doug, who was right in the way of the falling rocks. Marie reached out and took him back under cover with her, Gally, and Newt. Marie felt herself smiling as the girl switched from rocks to other objects that happened to be laying at the top of the tower. The Glade was a mess of laughter, shouts, curses and cheers. Whoever this girl was, she sure was causing quite a mess. Marie liked her already.

"Incoming!" Newt shouted loudly, flinching when a particularly large bucket fell down from the tower. "I don't think she likes us," He laughed.

"My kind of gal," Marie said, grinning at him. She whistled loudly.

Minho and Thomas jogged over, with Thomas stopping near Chuck to talk. Minho ducked, barely missing a telescope as it whizzed past his head.

"Shit!" He exclaimed, coming to a stop next to Marie, "What's her problem?"

"Poor girl just woke up surrounded by a bunch of boys. You do the math," Marie smirked at him. He grinned and shook his head.

Gally stepped out into the open. "Hey!" He shouted, pointing up at the girl, "Throw one more thing and I'll-ack!" Gally cried out as a rock struck him right in the head, making him stumble back. Marie laughed, covering her mouth. She jumped back as a chair came flying down.

Finally Thomas stepped out, narrowly dodging the chair. "Hey! Hey! It's T-Thomas, it's Thomas!" He yelled up, cupping his hands over his mouth.

Suddenly the avalanche of objects stopped. The girl cautiously peered down at them over the railing. From the ground, Marie could tell she was fairly pale and had long dark hair, but that was it before the girl backed away out of sight.

Thomas exhaled and looked over at Newt. "I'll go talk to her." Gally moved to follow him, but Thomas raised his hand to stop him. "Just me for now."

Gally glanced at Newt- the blonde nodded and Thomas went to climb the ladder. "Alright, I-I'm coming up!" He warned as he climbed.

While Thomas was up there, Newt turned and shooed the other Gladers away (except for Gally, Minho, and Marie), telling them to get back to work. Marie put her hands on her hips, still grinning as the group disbanded.

"Do we know her name?" Gally asked, looking at Newt.

Newt shook his head. "Not yet. She was out for some time, so she might remember something."

Marie felt a little guilty. In all honesty, she had completely forgotten about the girl. She should have remembered, since the mysterious female had been the last to come up. But the girl had been in a coma until now, and Marie hadn't been interested in her until she woke up. There was something about the girl that made Marie a little excited to have her around; she was definitely a fighter.

Thomas poked his head over the railing. "We're good! She's calm now," He yelled down to them.

"Well? Is she coming down?" Newt asked.

"Um..." Thomas glanced behind him, presumably at the girl, "Just give us a few minutes!"

Gally shook his head and began walking away. Minho looked at Marie, "She reminds me of you."

Marie raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" She said.

He nodded. "Probably a pain in the ass," He said, grinning. He backed out of the way when she swung her fist.

About thirty minutes later, Thomas came down alone. Newt and Marie were still standing there, as Minho had to go to the Map Room. Newt frowned when he saw Thomas without the girl. "She's not coming down?"

Thomas shrugged. "She's still a little shaky," He said. He looked at Marie, "Maybe you should go up there and try. She'd probably feel better with a girl."

"I'll see what I can do," Marie said, nodding her head.

It only took her a few minutes to climb the latter. When she reached the top, Marie slowly pulled her self up onto the floor. The girl shrieked and huddled in the corner when she saw Marie. Marie stopped right where she was, crouching down to one knee. She slowly held out a hand to the girl in an attempt to calm her.

"Hey," She said quietly, "my name is Marie. Don't be scared, love. You're safe."

The girl was exceptionally beautiful, with pale skin and striking blue eyes that seemed more intense than they really were. Her thick, long hair was dark brown or black and wavy. Marie didn't recognize her, but she did recognize the distinct gleam of fear in those electric eyes. She was huddled in the corner, knees drawn to her chest, breathing heavily.

"Can you tell me your name?" Marie asked slowly. She moved to sit down with her legs crossed, keeping her hands where the Greenie could see them.

At first, there was no answer. The new girl seemed to be sizing Marie up, peering at her with fear and confusion. Brown eyes clashed with blue before the new girl looked away.

"You don't know?" The girl suddenly asked, her voice hoarse from screaming.

"I'm not a mind reader. It's okay if you don't remember your name at first- most of us didn't. Like I said, my name is Marie," Marie said.

There was more silence. As much as Marie wanted answers, she didn't want to push the girl too far. The Greenie looked at her cautiously. "Are you a friend of Thomas...?" She asked shakily.

Marie thought about it for a second, wondering how her answer would impact the situation. Of course, this girl was connected to Thomas, there was no denying it, but were Marie and him friends? He seemed pretty chummy with Newt and Minho, and she didn't dislike him. Marie shrugged her shoulders.

"You could say that," She said casually.

The girl seemed to think about it for a moment before answering. "My name is...Teresa," She responded hesitantly.

Marie felt a sort of electricity shoot through her chest. Teresa? Teresa...That name sounded so familiar. There was a sinking feeling in Marie's chest, as if she forgot something important. It only lasted a few seconds, however, and then she was left feeling empty.

"It's nice to meet you, Teresa," Marie smiled and held out her hand for a shake, which Teresa cautiously returned, "Welcome to the Glade."


	4. Requited

**This is late, but shoutout to TheBeautyinEverything for guessing right! Marie is named after Marie Curie. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed, I can't explain how inspirational you all are!**

 **Feel free to shoot me a PM or drop a review!**

"I'm going to teach Teresa some self-defense, so if it looks like I'm beating the klunk out of her, don't worry."

Newt's face scrunched up and he looked up at his sister from his spot on the ground, where he was ripping out unwanted roots. It was later in the afternoon, the sky a pretty violet just before the sun set. Teresa was standing beside her, shifting her weight from one foot to another.

"Um...yeah," Newt said, raising an eyebrow. He scoffed at his sister. "She's only been awake...what, three days? Go easy on her."

"She won't learn anything if I go easy. Come on, Teresa," Marie said, motioning for Teresa to follow her.

Teresa followed without much thought. Since waking up in the Glade, she found herself practically attached to Marie's hip. Wherever Marie went, Teresa went with her; when the Runner went out into the Maze, Teresa couldn't help but keep one eye on the doors as she worked, waiting for her new friend to come back. Newt had warned her to let his sister have her space, so Teresa did, though it was hard. There was a certain kind of confidence about Marie that made Teresa feel safe in this new, frightening world.

Marie led Teresa to the center of the Glade, where they usually held the bonfires, and stopped once they reached the fight circle. She turned to Teresa, cracking her knuckles.

"Alright, lass," She said, "You ready?"

Teresa shrugged, laughing a little. "I guess, but...I don't think I really need to- ow!" Teresa cried out, rubbing the spot where Marie had suddenly slapped her.

"Yeah, you do. You're soft and you've got bad reflexes," Marie said, reaching down to stretch her legs. She straightened up and turned, pouting her lips as she scanned the Glade. Finally, she spotted what she was looking for. "Oi! Minho! Come 'ere a sec!"

Minho, who was coming from the Map Room, turned his head. Upon seeing her, he smiled widely, eyes lighting up.

"What's up?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Teresa, this is Minho, in case you haven't met him yet. He's the Keeper of the Runners," Marie said, gesturing to him. Teresa smiled at him and he nodded to her, greeting her with a wave. "Minho, this is Teresa, our newest Greenie."

Marie continued, "I'm teaching her some self-defense. Want to help?"

Minho shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind. What do you want me to do?"

"Just stand here-" Marie positioned him right in front of her. "Okay, Teresa. So, we're going to start with the basics- Minho, put your hands around my throat and try to choke me."

Minho scoffed a little as he did what she said. "Didn't think you'd be into that," He muttered, raising his eyebrows.

Marie ignored his comment, sending him a glare before looking at Teresa. "Now, when someone's trying to choke you, the easiest way to break free is to grab one finger, like this-" Marie grabbed Minho's finger and pried it away from her neck, "And bend it backward, like you're trying to break it." Marie suddenly snapped his finger back and Minho instantly let go of her neck, wincing.

"I taught you that one," Minho muttered, shaking his hand. He marveled at her quick reaction.

Teresa nodded and stepped forward, ready to try it.

It took some hours for Teresa to get the hang of it. Minho's fingers were killing him by the time Marie moved on to other self defense tactics, and then it was Teresa's turn to get beat up. Marie felt bad for it, but her mind argued that Teresa needed to toughen up anyway- a little roughhousing wouldn't kill her.

Teresa exclaimed loudly in frustration the third time she was thrown to the ground. Her hands and knees were bloody, stinging from the dirt that been rubbed into them. Marie was relatively unscathed, standing above her with her arms crossed. Marie couldn't help but feel as if this scene were familiar, but couldn't remember why.

"Come on, lass. One more time," Marie urged, moving her hands to her hips. "If you can knock me over, completely on the ground, we'll call it a day."

By that time it was almost dinner, and a majority of the Glade had come to see what the two lone girls were doing. They crowded around in a circle, waiting to see if the new girl could keep up with her predecessor. Minho was watching carefully, as he had since they started. He hadn't noticed before how aggressive Marie could be, but he saw it in the way she would deflect Teresa's attack- grabbing her and shoving her back roughly. Minho could tell, however, that it wasn't intentional; Marie didn't act malicious. She winced whenever Teresa fell and frequently asked her if she were okay.

Newt was watching as well, and he saw the way she glanced nervously around the Glade. All of the watchful eyes of the Glade were beginning to make her freak out.

Teresa stood and lunged at Marie. Marie grabbed her shoulders, just as she had previously, and moved to shove her back when she felt Teresa's hand grip her leg, just behind her knee. Teresa yanked Marie's leg out from under her, letting her own momentum take both of them to the ground. Marie gasped, crying out when she landed on her back. Teresa, having landed on top of her, jumped back, face twisted in agony.

"Marie! Marie!" She gasped, "I'm so sorry!"

The navy sky was blurred by tears, and Marie blinked them away, feeling them run down her face. She coughed, but there was nothing to cough up- she couldn't catch her breath, couldn't breathe. The coil that was wound up in her chest unravelled and she found herself lost in anxiety, in fear. She couldn't move. All she could do was cough and gasp for air.

"Clint! Jeff!" Newt shouted, rushing forward to help her sit up. He'd seen the beginning of her fit before it even started.

"Marie, I-I'm so sorry!" Teresa said. She turned to Minho, desperate, "I wasn't trying to hurt her, I just-"

Minho helped her up before waving Thomas over. "It's okay, accidents happen. Thomas," He added when his friend ran over. He spoke lowly, "Get everyone to go to dinner okay? Marie's having a panic attack."

Thomas wasn't sure what Minho meant by 'panic attack'. He looked over Minho's shoulder at Marie, who was sitting upright but clinging to Newt. Her head was down, shoulders heaving and he heard broken sobs escape her. Thomas looked back at Minho, nodding. "Yeah, no problem."

Gally helped Thomas round everyone up, save for the medjacks, Minho and Newt, who stayed with Marie while she worked herself out.

"She's not hurt," Clint said, inspecting her bare back before lowering the hem of her shirt, "At least not visibly. Her spine is still straight, it looks like."

"Well? What caused it?" Newt asked, referring to her episode. Marie was clinging to her brothers shirt, head resting in the crook of his shoulder. Her knees were drawn up, as if to shield her away. Her breaths were quick and panicked, and she squeezed her eyes shut. There was a...swirling, twisting feeling in her chest, making her head and chest ache. It was uncontrollable. More prominently there was fear- Marie was afraid, and she wasn't sure why.

"I don't know, man. It could have been triggered when she got the wind knocked out of her." Jeff said, shaking his head.

Minho was quiet. Seeing Marie like this wasn't a unfamiliar sight, but it was a rare one. Something in him stirred and he looked away. Gally was watching them from the Homestead. When he saw Minho looking at him, he shook his head and turned away. Minho's hands turned into fists. It was then and there he decided he'd _really_ break Gally's neck if the shank said a word to Marie.

Marie suddenly began to speak, bringing Minho's attention back to her.

"Newt," She gasped, "I can't-I can't breathe-"

"You can," Newt's voice was quiet and slow, "Count your breath. One. Two..."

Thomas ran over to them, his features dark with the coming twilight. "Hey," He breathed out. "Is Marie okay? What happened?"

"She was sparring with Teresa and Teresa tackled her. She hit the ground pretty hard, got the wind knocked out of her," Minho said, in a low voice as to not break the twin's counting.

"Teresa's really upset about it. She didn't mean to hurt her," Thomas said. He ran a hand through his hair. "She's gonna be okay, right? What's going on?"

Minho inwardly groaned. Thomas' questioning never ceased, it seemed. "Yeah, she's fine. It just happens sometimes- Look, just give her some space, okay?"

Newt was wide awake when Minho stepped quietly into the infirmary room. It was the same room he had been kept in after his night in the Maze. The second-in-command of the Glade was watching his sister sleep soundly from a chair next to the bed. The room was dim, only a few candles lighting the darkness. In the dimness Minho could see the stress on Newt's face.

"Is she asleep?" Minho asked, quietly so to not wake her.

Newt only nodded, dropping his gaze to his hands. His fingers were wringing together, his jaw taught.

"Newt?" Minho's voice was a little louder.

"It's my fault she's like this," Newt said suddenly, voice broken. He looked up at Minho, his brown eyes almost black in the candlight. He blinked and tears spilled over his face. "Did she tell you that? That she has these fits because of me, because of what I did?"

Minho knew what he meant and shook his head, walking over to stand beside him. "No. _No,_ Newt. That's not what this is-"

"It _is._ If I had been stronger, if I hadn't jumped-" Newt's raising voice caused Marie to turn in her sleep. He stopped talking abruptly, and the two boys watched her shift in her sleep.

When she settled down, Minho spoke quietly. "Newt..." He was hesitant to speak at first, "...I don't know why this happens to her. I don't. But I do know that Marie needs you more than anyone. The sooner we get out of this place, the sooner we can get her help."

Newt was quiet a long time, staring at Marie's sleeping form. He wiped his face with the hem of his shirt, smearing the dirt and tears on his face.

"I'll stay with her. Go get some sleep," Minho whispered, patting Newt's shoulder.

"Thanks, Minho. I'll be next door- just come get me if she starts up again," Newt said nodding. He stood up and limped to the door, casting one last glance at the two Runners before quietly shutting the door behind him.

Minho exhaled sharply and sat down. He leaned forward and rubbed his face with his hands. It was well past midnight, but his mind wasn't tired at all.

He turned his head to look at Marie. She was awake, staring at him silently.

"Thank you for talking to him," Marie said quietly. She was laying on her side, with on hand tucked under her pillow.

"How are you feeling?" Minho asked. He noticed the way the light was casting shadows on her face, just as it did the night after he survived the Maze.

"Better now. Just tired," Marie rubbed her eye with her free hand. "He wasn't wrong," She added quietly.

Minho's eyebrows furrowed. "What?" He asked incredulously.

Marie's mouth set into a line and she looked away from him, watching the candle flame's shadows flicker across the walls.

"Clint and Jeff call them 'panic attacks'. They started happening after Newt's accident. But I don't blame him," she said. Turning her gaze back to Minho, Marie added, "I don't want him to blame himself, Minho. I think I'm just jacked."

Minho shook his head. "You're not jacked. It happens to everyone every now and then." Hesitantly, he asked, "That's why you go to the Deadheads, isn't it? To keep this from happening?"

"Yeah. I don't like it when everyone sees...it makes me look weak."

Marie sighed, rubbing her eyes again. Minho thought he saw tears, but couldn't tell in the light. "Gally thinks I'm not stable enough to be a Keeper. I guess I reinforced that, didn't I?"

"Don't listen to that slinthead. Next time you feel anxious, come get me. We'll work it out together. Good that?" Minho said, trying his best to be optimistic.

Marie smiled up at him slightly, and it looked like she was...shy? Minho swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Thanks, Minho. I will," She said quietly.

Feeling his hands become clammy, he decided to change the subject. "Oh, I forgot to show you-" Minho reached behind him, having just remembered he never took off his backpack, and pulled out the long cylindrical stinger he'd been carrying around.

Marie frowned and propped her self up on one elbow, leaning forward to get a good look at the foreign object. Minho leaned towards her, holding it out so she could see better.

"The body hell is that?" She asked. It was was large, barely fitting the palm of Minho's hand, and poking out at the end was a long sharp needle. There were letters printed along the side, and a red number four glowed angrily. "W-I-C-K-E-D," Marie spelled, tracing the letters with her fingers as she spoke. Her eyes darted up to meet Minho's. "Where did you get this?"

"Remember that Griever Thomas killed? This was stuck inside it," Minho said. He couldn't help the excitement that leaked into his voice. "Whatever the hell this thing is, it's our first clue."

"These are the same letters printed on the walls in the Maze. So whoever put us in here must have made this thing." Marie was getting excited as well. Their first clue! All that time, they'd been stuck there without any way out, without any thought as to how to solve the Maze. Then Thomas came and that all went out the window. He made more progress in four weeks than they had in two years.

"I can't believe it, Minho," She breathed, smiling broadly at him, "You were right. Thomas really _is_ going to get us out of here!"

Minho was silent, watching the shadows dance across her face. He wanted to do something, but held himself back. Marie was still propped up on one arm, significantly closer to him than he realized. That same feeling from before was stirring in his chest, as it had been since the night he made that bet with her. At the time, it had been a joke because he liked to mess with her, but it was nagging him now.

When he first met her, Minho knew that she was something else. She wasn't slim and frail like the Gladers had expected, but athletic, strong, built like her brother. She was confident and smart; It was no surprise that she was a natural runner and leader. That was what attracted him to her at first, but it was purely physical, and he hadn't made a move on her because she was his best friend. But the last few weeks...When he saw her at the end of the Maze, just before the doors closed, his heart had jumped in his chest, and he felt something else there.

Without thinking, he said, "Marie, I..."

Marie blinked, waiting for him to finish.

"...I want you to get some sleep. I'll be here if you need anything," Minho said, suddenly loosing confidence. He looked away from her and shifted in his seat, placing the Griever's clue back in his pack.

Marie bit the inside of her cheek. She was expecting him to say something else, but pushed down her disappointment. She wasn't even sure what she thought he would say.

"Goodnight, Minho," Marie replied, settling back down into bed. She tucked her hand under her pillow and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Marie."

About ten minutes later, Minho was still staring at the wall when he heard Marie stir.

"Hey, Minho?" She voiced, her words slurred with sleep.

"Yeah?" Minho said, turning his head to look at her.

Her eyes were still closed, "Thank you."

Minho's face soften a little and he smiled, running a hand through his hair. "You're welcome."


	5. Consternation

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It was almost noon when Marie woke up.

Sunlight was shining through the window, lighting up the dusty air. It took her a few minutes of laying there to let her eyes adjust. She could still feel the effects of yesterday in the slight aching that resonated in her chest and the dull throbbing of her head. She exhaled slowly, stretching her limbs out across the bed, feeling her tendons and muscles enjoy the lazy movement.

Minho was gone. His chair was empty, but in his place was a plate of lukewarm eggs, hash browns, toast, and bacon. Marie felt herself smile as she sat up and reached for it, warmth flooding her chest. Despite his sarcastic nature, Minho could be a sweetheart.

Newt poked his head through the door when she was halfway finished eating.

"Good morning," he said, smiling. He sat on the end of her bed. "How do you feel?"

"Much better," Marie smiled at him, hoping to quell his fears. It seemed to work and Newt smiled back at her. "How is everyone? Teresa?"

"She's okay. Greenbean was worried sick about you."

Newt filled Marie in on the happenings of that morning- Minho and Thomas had gone off into the Maze once more to see if they could find anything concerning the Griever's clue. Teresa was watching over Alby, who had apparently tried to attack Thomas that morning in a fit of infection-induced rage.

All evidence of Newt's distress last night was gone. He was smiling, heart-shaped face grinning and brown eyes glowing with amusement. Newt was naturally a lighthearted person, but still, Marie knew he was adept at hiding his struggles, even in front of her.

The door opened abruptly, a red-faced Chuck leaned against the doorframe. He was panting, sweat dripping off his brow as if he had been running.

Marie jumped to her feet, almost bumping into Newt, who shuffled back slightly.

Chuck! What's wrong?" She asked.

"T-Thomas...Gally..." Chuck sucked in gulps of air, "I think...they're about...to fight!"

Marie and Newt rushed past him, their feet slapping the wooden floor in unison. Marie inwardly cursed- those two shanks couldn't breathe next to one another without causing a scene.

The sun was blinding when Marie stepped out of the Homestead, making her shield her eyes away. In the distance, towards the center of the Glade, was a group of boys, Thomas and Gally in the middle. Thankfully, Minho was already there, though it didn't seem like he was trying to ease the tension.

"Look here, Greenie. You've been here, three, four weeks? I've been here _two years!"_ Gally yelled, pointing his finger accusingly at Thomas.

"Yeah, you've been here two years and you're _still_ here!" Thomas shot back, his shy demeanor finally gone, "Maybe it's time to start doing things differently instead of hiding in this damned place!"

"Hey! What's going on here?" Marie asked, stepping in front of Thomas. He seemed surprised to see her but Gally didn't flinch.

Gally motioned her to move, "Stay out of this, Marie!"

Marie stood her ground. She felt Thomas pressing against her back, trying to push past her. "This guy is trying to destroy everything we've worked so hard to build and you guys aren't doing anything about it!" Gally argued. He tried to shove Marie aside, but Minho blocked him.

"Get these two away from each other!" Marie shouted as Dan and a few others moved to help. After two years in the Glade with nothing but boys, Marie had learned that in order to successfully end a fight between two guys one had to break their eye contact. They continued arguing and Marie rolled her eyes. As she did, she saw Teresa jog over to them. Marie smiled at her, sending her a nod of acknowledgement. Teresa returned it, her face marred with concern and confusion.

"Guys," Teresa said, but no one was listening. Gally and Thomas' arguing spoke over her. Teresa huffed in frustration. " _Guys!_ " She yelled. Finally, all eyes were on her. "It's Alby, he's awake," There was a strange tone to her voice, as if she were lost and wasn't sure of what to do.

Newt bit the inside of his cheek, contemplating. He turned to Gally and the rest of the Gladers. "Alright, you shanks get back to work! I don't want to see another one of ya slacking off. Good that?"

Alby was indeed wake, sitting on the side of the bed. He was facing away from his friends as they entered the room. Marie, Newt, Minho, Thomas, and Teresa all stood by, waiting for him to acknowledge them. Teresa had said that Alby didn't respond to anything she did or said, he just sat there, asking for Thomas. Marie wanted to stay there to support her old friend, but it was getting too crowded in that small room. She quietly excused herself and left, leaving silently.

The wind was blowing outside. It tossed her hair this way and that, battling with the sun to keep her cool. Marie sat outside the Homestead, pulling her knees up to her chest. Things were happening so fast. First Thomas comes up in the box, then Ben gets stung. Alby gets stung next, then Teresa comes up a day later. They now had a clue from the Maze, and Alby was awake. Barely a month ago, Marie was running the Maze every other day, trying to find a way out. Now everything was different. There had always been a plan for her: Run. Solve the Maze. But now, Marie had no idea what to do next. The uncertainty left a weight in her stomach.

"Hey," Teresa said, leaning against the door.

Marie turned, glancing at her briefly. "Hey." Marie shifted over to allow room for Teresa to sit. When she did, Marie asked, "What are they talking about in there?"

Teresa shrugged, the wind pushing her dark hair into her face. "I'm not sure- Alby's only talking to Thomas for now," She said.

Marie nodded, staring out at the Glade. The two fell into a comfortable silence as the rest of the Gladers worked. In the distance, Marie could spot Gally with the Builders. His growing persistence with Thomas' involvement in the Glade was beginning an itch in the back of her head. Her eyes scanned past Gally to the towering concrete walls. The vines shifted in the breeze, climbing up to the top of the Maze. They had thought to climb them, of course, years back, but the vines closer to the top weren't strong enough to hold excessive weight. Despite recent events, the Gladers were working hard, just as peaceful as always. Marie wondered if things would stay that way.

"I'm scared," Teresa admitted after a few minutes. Marie looked over at her. Teresa's gaze darted around the Glade, unsure, insecure. She swallowed thickly before continuing, "I didn't mean for all this to happen."

Marie shook her head, hair flying all around. "Maybe it is your fault," Marie said, "Or maybe it's just time for things to change."

Teresa looked down, inspecting the sandy dirt. Her fingers traced circle patterns beside her. "...I wish I could remember, you know? Like maybe if I remembered, this never would have happened." She gestured to the rest of the Glade. "We might not be here."

"The Creators put us here for a reason. I don't think anyone remembering anything would have stopped them," Marie was being more honest than she intended, but she felt Teresa should know. "They watch us. All the time, I think. But don't worry," She patted Teresa's hand, "If we stick together everything will be fine."

As time passed and the sky began to turn, Marie noticed something strange. Most of the other Gladers sensed it, as their work slowed to a hesitant stop. Even as fires were built and fed and the torches were lit, there was a strange atmosphere. Everyone was looking around, as if something were missing. Teresa frowned, burrowing her eyebrows. "...What's going on?" She asked, looking from the Gladers to Marie.

Finally, Marie understood. Silence filled the Glade and the Maze around it, almost as if everything had stopped functioning. There were no birds chirping, no bugs buzzing. The silence was almost deafening, suffocating any natural sound in the entire area. Marie's heart thumped hard in her chest.

She scrambled to her feet and took off, sprinting down the hill to the West Doors. The fires lit her path as her running shoes pounded against the ground.

"M-Marie! Wait!" Teresa's screams barely reached her ears. Teresa was rushing to catch up with her as Minho, Thomas, and Newt burst from the Homestead.

Minho was running full speed to the doors- he had noticed it as well. "Marie!" he shouted.

"I know!" Marie exclaimed. She slowed to a stop just a few hundred feet from the doors. Her chest was heaving, panic and tension rising higher and higher as she took in the situation. The doors were like a gaping maw, darkness spilling out into the Glade as the sun fell behind the walls.

"No..." Marie's desparate plea fell on deaf ears.

"Marie!" Teresa yelled hoarsely once she caught up with her friend. The dark haired girl rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily. "What's...going on?"

Marie only blinked. From her peripheral vison she saw Minho approach her. Newt and Thomas soom joined them, along with Dan, Zart, Chuck, and a few others.

Teresa repeated her question urgently. Marie had forgotten that Teresa had only been in the Glade a few weeks, not long enough to know the routine of the Maze.

Marie's voice trembled as she spoke, and only two words were able to escape her as panic replaced her calm demeanor.

"The doors."

It was past sunset. And the doors were still open.


	6. Ambush

**I'm back!! Sorry for the really really late update, I really had trouble portraying the fear in this chapter. I hope I was able to do it well. Let me know what you think!**

Marie could hear the gasps behind her. She backed up until she bumped into Dan, who steadied her with a hand on her shoulder. Thomas was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling visibly as he stuttered a response.

"T-There's gotta be a reason for it, right?" He stammered.

A loud screech was his answer, making everyone jump and scream. Marie clapped her hands over her ears, wincing as the grating sound ripped through the silence. Turning, she saw several Gladers running to the East Gate, which was slowly opening, and even more Gladers ran to the South and North Gates, which were also creeping open. The vines that had grown over those gates began to snap and rip apart with the tension. The sound was piercing, rusted metal and cracked concrete groaning from years without use.

"What the hell," Marie breathed, her hands clammy. The gates have always closed. Always. That was the one guarantee they were given in the Glade.

Now it was shattered.

Screams errupted from the West Gate, interrupted by demonic screeches. A hand gripped her shoulder, breaking her focus and bringing her back to earth. It was Newt, his face contorted in fear.

"Minho, Zart, go get as many weapons as you can," Thomas sprung into action, "Newt, Marie, we gotta go get Alby."

Newt nodded and spun around, grabbing Marie's hand and pulling her off in the direction of the Homestead. Her feet faltered at first, tripping over themselves dumbly. Newt was limping ahead of her, glancing back every few seconds and yanking her back into a run when she slowed. A second wave of screaming sent a shock through Marie and she realized what was happening.

They were being attacked.

Marie's feet picked up, hastening her pace. Her grip on her brother's hand tightened as she eventually took the lead, pulling Newt along. Flames from the bonfire lapped at the black sky, dimly lighting the dirt path that lead to the Homestead. Marie blocked out the screaming, focusing on the thumping of her heart in her ears and the steadiness of her breath.

Alby was already sitting up in bed when Newt and Marie shot through the door.

"What's happening?" He asked. Alby's eyes were clear of the feverish look he had earlier. He was wide awake, alert.

"We have to go-" Newt started, pulling him to his feet.

Marie finished for him and she wrapped Alby's arm over her shoulder, "-the Grievers are attacking, Alby, we have to hide!"

Alby grunted as the twins lifted him off the bed. Marie muffled a gasp- He was much heavier than she expected. Still, Newt and Marie slowly made their way down the stairs. A loud screech resounded from downstairs. Just before the trio hit the third to last step, the wall came crashing down.

The three barely dodged the debris as planks collasped and wood splintered everwhere. Most of the tattered wall fell right infront of the door, but the hole was big enough for them to get through if some planks were removed.

Marie pulled away from Alby and ran to the hole, pulling away wood chunks and branches. She noticed off to the side the reason for the wall's demise; a Glader had been thrown in, most likely by a Griever. Marie didn't take the time to see who it was. Instead, she started clearing the way through the wall faster, her hands pushing away wood and nails, the sharp ends digging into her fingers and palms.

When it was clear, she analyzed the way down: It was a short jump to solid ground, enough for Alby to make it.

"Come on!" she called to her brother and friend, hopping out of the hole. Marie's feet thumped down onto the ground, hard. She turned just as Newt lowered Alby out of the wrecked building. Newt grunted, the veins popping in his arm as his muscles strained to hold Alby's weight.

"I got you," Marie breathed, grabbing a hold of Alby's side to steady him.

"Thank you," Alby nodded. He struggled to stand on his own, but Marie had to bear much of his weight on her own. Newt finally joined them, taking up Alby's other side.

Across the Glade, someone was waving a torch in the air. Even in the dark, illuminated only by fire, Marie could tell it was Thomas. Other Gladers were scampering to various parts of the Glade, some hiding in the cornfield, others like Thomas scattering to the meeting hall.

"Can you run?" Marie asked Alby. On her own, she could cross the Glade in less than five minutes, but with Alby in the shape he was, sprinting would be difficult.

"Do I have a choice?" Alby replied dryly. He winced slightly as Newt readjusted his grip.

Marie and Newt locked eyes for a moment, nodding to one another before taking off at the same time. Alby scrambled to run with them, but his left leg was still injured and he dragged it most of the way.

"Newt, we need to get to Thomas!" Marie called to him, and he nodded.

A huge beast darted right into their path. Marie dug her heels into the dirt, slowing to a full stop with Newt and Alby at her side. The beast was huge, towering over them with a slimy, translucent body bulbous and fat. It had patches of hair in some places, various knife-like arms amid limbs made out of saw blades and rusted metal. In her opiniob, it could only be described as a fat slug with spider legs.

Marie had only seen a Griever once before, but didn't remember it being so grotesque.

The griever opened its mouth and screeched, a combined sound of grating metal, gurgling water, and clicking.

Before her mind could react, Marie's feet was already backtracking, pulling Alby and Newt back out of harms way.

A torch suddenly soared through the air, striking the Griever's side. It roared as the momentum toppled it, sending it crashing to the ground.

Marie spotted Minho running toward them, another torch in hand. He hand it to her, panting as he took her place beside Alby. "They hate fire," Minho gasped out. Sweat dripped from his chin as he said, "We're almost to the meeting hall. Just a little more!"

Marie lead the way, lighting their path as they ran. Every so often, she swung the torch about, keeping the Grievers at bay.

Her mind was going faster than she was. What was happening? Why didn't the doors close? Where was Teresa? What about Gally? Dan? Winston? Chuck?

Thomas took the torch from her and ushered them into the meeting hall. There were maybe fifteen kids already in there, and Marie spotted Teresa standing near the center of the group. She rushed towards her, arms out wide.

"Teresa!" She breathed, taking Teresa into a tight hug.

"Marie! Thank God," Teresa gasped, releasing her.

Thomas ran inside, slamming the door shut. Dan pushed a table over to brace the door.

"Everyone, get down! Stay quiet!" Thomas hissed. He pulled Chuck down to the floor.

Everyone followed suit, crouching down low. All conversation stopped. Someone was sobbing quietly, but they were quickly shushed. It was dark, so dark it was difficult to see properly. Marie breathed out shakily, the sound rattling in her ribcage. Teresa was behind her, and Newt and Minho were on either side. Alby was next to Teresa, while Thomas and Chuck were in front.

Marie squeezed her eyes shut, listening. She could still hear screeching in the distance, and screams were echoing from across the Glade. How could this happen?

Marie felt someone grab her right hand (as her left was still occupied in Newt's tight grip) She opened her eyes and looked over at Minho, who was watching her carefully. She gave him a small nod and squeezed his hand. Trying to let him know she was okay.

He nodded and squeezed her hand back.

The screeches fell silent. The screams faded. She could hear the snapping of the fires.

Was it over? Was it safe?

Thomas looked over at Newt. There was a sudden silence, as if everyone was holding their breath. Slowly, Thomas crept forward, staying low to the ground. He moved toward the door silently, glancing back at the group of frightened kids.

A Griever suddenly crashed through the ceiling above Thomas, screeching. Thomas screamed and fell back, narrowly avoiding the beast's tail as it swiped at him. The Gladers rushed back, pressing themselves against the back of the room, some screaming and some sobbing. Newt shoved Marie back and dove forward, grabbing Thomas' hand. The Griever screeched again as Thomas was pulled out of its reach. He fell back into Marie, who collapsed backward onto Teresa. Minho grabbed Teresa's arm, yanking her and the others farther away from the beast.

Marie's adrenaline was pumping too loud for her to panic, the sound thump-thumping as she stumbled to her feet.

"Someone help!" Chuck screamed as a Greiver's claw-like tail shot through the ceiling, coming right for him with deadly intent.

"Chuck!" Thomas screamed. He darted at Chuck just as the Griever scooped the young boy up, it's plans ruined as Thomas gripped Chuck's arms tightly.

Chuck was stung up in the air, his legs being pulled to the certain death outside and his arms to the safety of inside. Though Thomas was straining as hard as he could to hold Chuck back, Marie could see his feet start to slide in the dirt floor. Then it actually occurred to her; Chuck would die if Thomas failed to bring him back in. This whole night, she had been blocking out the deaths of others, concerned only by the survival of herself and her brother. Of course, she wanted to help her friends live. And so Chuck was in danger, and there she sat on the ground, adrenaline pumping, mind moving in all directions but one. Her legs bent and straightened out from under her until she was standing, then running, no- _sprinting_ to where Thomas was struggling.

"Don't leg go!" Thomas commanded, his gaze meeting Marie's as she started pulling on Chuck's arm. The Griever had no intent to be shown up by two teenagers, however, and jerked Chuck back. Marie cried out, struggling to hold steady despite the Griever's vast strength. Her own feet began to slide in the dirt and she kept stepping back to keep her distance.

She suddenly felt someone at her side- it was Minho. Him, Newt, Teresa and a handful of other Gladers rushed to help Marie and Thomas save Chuck. The Griever would not give up, however, and Marie saw it's sharp, needle like stinger extend to attack.

A cry resounded from behind the Gladers and Marie's head whipped around. Alby was running straight for the Griever, a machete raised high over his head. He brought it down hard onto the Griever's tail, over and over relentlessly.

"Pull!" Marie screamed. She planted her feet firmly and pulled Chuck's arm, not really caring if it hurt him so long as he wasn't taken by the Griever.

Alby exclaimed loudly as he hacked at the Griever tail, never letting up his assault. Abruptly, the Griever dropped Chuck, sending him into the open arms of his peers. Marie grabbed him, pulling the sobbing boy to her in a hug.

"It's okay, love, it's okay," Marie chanted, quietly, lowering the boy to kneel on the ground. Chuck was spitting and coughing, gasping to catch his breath.

"Chuck, are you okay?" Thomas asked, urgently, rubbing the boy's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chuck exhaled, breathing hard. He looked up at his savior, tears running down his face. "Thanks, Alby."

Alby nodded, panting.

"Alby, look out!" Marie screamed as a Greiver's claw-like tail broke through the ceiling. It grabbed Alby, locking him tightly in place. Everyone was screaming again. Marie, Newt, and Teresa pushed the Gladers back to the opposite wall. Thomas and Minho rushed to save Alby.

Marie was too busy trying to keep all the Gladers back to notice what happened next. One moment, Alby was holding onto Thomas, gasping something out l, and then he was gone.

It was silent again. No one dared to move. Teresa started coughing, her coughs turning into sobs. The ragged sound seemed to snap everyone back into focus. Newt grabbed Maire and hugged her tightly. Tears finally pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away, breathing heavily. Maire reluctantly pulled away. As much as she wanted to stay near Newt, Teresa needed comfort as well. Marie numbly took Teresa into her arms, smoothing out her hair.

Thomas stood still under the hole where Alby was taken. His shoulders were heaving, shakey sobs tearing from his throat. Clutching Teresa, listening to the cries of panic, pain and dispair, Marie could see it clearly now, watching Thomas' trembling form. He looked back at her, their eyes locking.

This boy was changing everything.


	7. Respite

**I'm back! With another chapter! I'm going to try and update at** _least_ **every two weeks now** **that classes are in full swing. Enjoy!**

 **Leave a Review and feel free to contact me!**

* * *

Dawn was coming. Everyone stayed in hiding until the sun peaked over the Maze walls. It was eerily quiet, as if even the morning birds were afraid to sing.

All of the Gladers stayed huddled in the corner. Some of the younger boys fell into reluctant sleep while the older kids remained wide awake, listening for any sign of the Grievers. Crouching among her friends, Marie was sore all over. Her legs were stiff, bruised, and covered in scratches. Her arms looked the same. There was a distinct throbbing in her right ankle, but she ignored it. There were more pressing matters at hand.

At the first sign of daylight, Thomas peeked out the door, checking to see if it was safe. Marie watched him carefully as he turned to the Gladers and nodded stiffly. Newt stood, wincing as he put weight on his bad leg. He pulled Marie up with him and held her hand as they followed Thomas out into the open.

The Glade was in ruins. As daylight spilled into the area, the damage was revealed and it was devastating. Large patches of grass were scortched black, fires still littered the ground, and there was debris everywhere. Buildings were destroyed either completely or partially. The only building still standing was the concrete Map Room, and even then there was smoke coming from its open doors. Marie felt like there wasn't enough air to fill her lungs.

" _You son of a bitch!"_ Gally roared. He was walking towards Thomas, eyes blown wide with anger.

She had never seen him filled with such rage, face scarlet, cheeks puffed out, obscenities spilling from his mouth. Marie decided to help the situation in the most obvious way.

She quickly dodged out of Gally's path.

Gally's fist made a striking sound against Thomas' face when he struck him. Newt and Winston rushed to divide the two, pushing and pulling Gally away from Thomas' kneeling form.

"Take it easy, Gally!"

"Gally, stop!"

"Look around!" Gally screamed, struggling in their grip, "Look at what you've done!"

Thomas stared up at him from the ground, eyes wide and startled. His eyes were glassy, as though he might cry. Teresa moved to go to him, but Marie stopped her.

"This is all your fault!" Gally's voice was hoarse and broken. He still struggled against Newt and Winston, trying to break free.

Teresa left Marie to help Thomas up. He remained crouched on the ground, but looked up at her when she stood next to him.

"Marie!" Minho exclaimed, walking over to her. He pulled her close and hugged her tightly. Minho looked over her, checking for any severe injuries.

"Minho," She sighed, relieved. There was something comforting about being near him. He was familiar, something the Glade wasn't after all that had happened.

Minho kept his hand on her arm as Newt approached them. "I've never seen him so angry," Newt muttered, glancing over at Gally. The older boy was still huffing, but his face had returned to its natural color and he was no longer struggling against his friends. "Then again, I've never seen anything like this happen before."

Marie felt her gut drop. Everything was going to be different. The Grievers had never attacked them like that, all at once. Even the way the Grievers behaved was strange...they had seemed more aggressive, determined to kill as many Gladers as they could. And the doors...in the three years she'd been there, Marie couldn't recall one time when those doors _didn't_ close. They always closed right before sunset, everyday like clockwork. It was common knowledge among the Keepers that whoever sent the supplies and Greenies also controlled the Maze. Marie's head was spinning as she worked things out in her mind. First the Creators stopped sending supplies, then the doors remain open overnight...Perhaps the Creators were mad at them? Or maybe something happened to the Creators and they weren't able to close the doors. Could the Maze have been broken?

"Something happened," Marie said, turning her head to look at the still open doors, "there's no reason the doors would stay open unless something happened to the creators."

Minho ran a hand through his hair. "What matters is that we're okay. For now, anyway."

Just after the words left his mouth, a scream erupted among the Gladers. " _Thomas!"_

Teresa was screaming his name, over and over again. The boy in question was lying on the ground, body convulsing and jerking violently. His eyes had rolled back and closed, spit coming from his mouth. His limbs were curling inward, muscles contracting rapidly. Everyone started crowding the pair until Gally, Newt, Marie, and Minho pushed past them. Marie spotted a Griever's stinger lying nearby. Her mouth went dry. Teresa was crying, sobbing out something about Thomas stabbing himself with the stinger.

"Quick, someone grab a serum!" Newt shouted, falling to his knees next to Thomas. He tried in vain to hold Thomas still, but the boy continued to shake violently. Some of the boys took off in the direction of the fallen homestead, while others started looking around the area in case one was lying in the grass. Teresa frantically searched her pockets until she pulled out a single glass serum. Marie watched as her brother stabbed Thomas in the arm with it, watched the way Thomas instantly became limp. Her gaze moved from them to Gally, who was standing there across from her. His eyes were downcast, watching the Medjacks rush to Thomas' aid. Lips pursed in a firm frown, Gally looked...disappointed.

"Gally," Marie said, quietly, but he heard. His eyes met hers from across the circle.

He seemed to hesitate. "...Coward tried to take the easy way out," Gally spat, angrily. Newt visibly stiffened at the jab, clenching his jaw.

That was it. Marie felt anger bubble up in her stomach, up her throat. She felt her face get hot. Why was he being like that? Why would he say that? Why were the creators so mad at them? What had they done to be slaughtered, to be sacrificed? They were kids. They were scared. Not once had Marie ever questioned it, but now she was angry. At Gally for being so hateful. At the Grievers for attacking them. At the Creators for being so cruel. At herself for being so helpless. All of that anger pushed up in her chest, clawing a way out, a way to vent her frustrations, and it gave her the strength to run across the circle, past Newt and Teresa and Thomas and Minho.

Gally wasn't prepared for Marie to bodyslam him the way she did. He fell back, landing square on his back, arms flailing as he tried to defend himself. Marie punched him once-it felt good, so she did it again. Again and again, she gave hit after hit until her arms began to tire. Gally grabbed her wrist, ready to scream his frustrations at her. He stopped when he felt drops hit his face. Marie wasn't sobbing, no. She was blinking tears from her eyes, breathing hard. Gally stared at her with wide eyes.

"Gally," She breathed out, "Shut your shuckin' mouth!"

"Marie!" Newt pulled her off of Gally. Gally continued to lay on the ground, staring up at the sky until one of his friends helped him up.

Marie hastily wiped the tears from her face. Newt reached over and pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "It's alright," he muttered, "it's alright."

No one commented on the scene. It all seemed so surreal, and after all, Gally had deserved it. Newt began sending out orders among the Keepers, delegating the Gladers to different areas of search and rescue. He needed to know who and how many were missing.

Some of the Gladers helped carry Thomas onto a maskeshift stretcher. Everyone was working together to help the injured- even the younger boys. Marie was trying to help one boy, about twelve years old. His leg was obviously broken, but Marie knew she couldn't carry him with her leg throbbing the way it was.

"Dan's got it," Minho said, jogging up to them. As if Minho had summoned him out of nowhere, Dan came running over. As he began to work with the young boy, Minho turned to Marie. "Let's get your ankle checked out."

"I'm fine," She insisted.

Minho smiled a little, glancing at the ground before meeting her gaze. "You can say that all you want on the way to the homestead." He turned around and knelt down on the ground. After a few minutes of sitting there, he looked over his shoulder at her, expectantly.

Marie laughed a little. "What are you doing?"

"Offering you a piggy back ride, duh," He said, as if it were obvious.

"Minho, I'm not- no-" She shook her head, feeling her face heat up. She was not about to ride on his back like a child. "I'm not doing that."

"Fine, then. I guess I'm just going to squat here then," the Keeper shrugged, bouncing on his heels.

She laughed, "Fine, then. Have fun!"

Marie started walking around Minho. If he wanted to sit there all night, he could. She had work to do. Just as she walked past him, his arms shot out, scooping her up over his shoulder. Marie shrieked as her feet were were swept out from under her. The world turned upside down.

"Minho, put me down! Right this bloody second!" She yelled, pounding her fists against his back.

He pinched her leg and she shrieked again. "Quit your howlin'. You can't walk on that ankle," Minho insisted.

"I can, too! You just want to grab me."

"Trust me, if that were the case, we'd be in a more private place. Unless you're into that-"

" _Minho!"_ His laugh resounded throughout the Glade.

Marie eventually gave up and let him tote her across the Glade. Some of the other kids were watching, a few laughing and smiling. While Marie was happy that the others were cheering up at her expense, she felt embarrassed at Minho's manhandling. Heat crawled up her face, and it was not because the blood wss rushing to her head. Everyone was no doubt staring at her and Minho. She was thankful her shorts went down to her mid-thigh.

Finally, Minho set her down on a tree stump. He had carried her to the destroyed Homestead, where Clint and Jeff were scurrying around salvaging what supplies they could. Marie kept her gaze to the ground. She felt exhausted; The adrenaline that had been gushing through her just hours earlier was completely gone, leaving exhaustion in its wake. She rubbed her eyes as Minho returned carrying two buckets, one empty and one full of water, and a rag.

"Clint said to just elevate your leg and he'll come take a look at it when he gets done," Minho said, kneeling in front of her. He gently took her leg and set in on the upside down empty bucket. Then he turned his attention to the cuts and scratches on her legs.

Marie watched him as he soaked the rag and wrung it out. Minho was, for the most part, relatively unscathed aside from some brusing and a few burns here and there. The cold water stung a little as Minho cleaned the dirt from her wounds. She winced and he muttered an apology, concentrating on her leg with an intense focus. Marie thought back to how he carried her across the Glade and she looked away from him.

As a Keeper and Runner, she had always been close with Minho. There had been many a time when she had come to his rescue in the Maze, and vise versa. Him carrying her the way he did shouldn't make her feel so shy...Right? Minho's hand laid on her calf and she jumped.

"...I'm glad you're okay," he muttered, his hands slowing until he was simply holding her leg in his lap. Minho finally looked up at her and Marie fought the urge to look away. Something about the way he looked at her was making her nervous.

She laughed a little, smiling. "I'm glad, too. That you're okay, I mean. I mean I just," Her face began to get hot. Why was she so flustered? It was only Minho. Marie covered her face with her hands. "Let me try that again!"

Minho reached up and gently took her hands away from her face. When her hands were moved out of the way, she saw that he had his crooked smirk. "Getting all flustered over little ol' me?"

"Of course not," She snorted, gathering her bearings. "I'm just still jumpy from last night."

He smacked her leg playfully, smiling. The conversation dropped there for the moment. He went back to cleaning her leg and she watched the Gladers try to piece together what little of their old life they had left. Eventually, he was finished with both legs and he set her uninjured leg on the ground. Marie half excepted him to stand and leave, but he stayed crouched where he was.

"Seems like the only time we get alone is when one of us is hurt," he said, chuckling.

"Maybe we should hurt ourselves more often," Marie said. She was trying to be playful and flirty like he was, but a part of her regretted saying something so embarrassing. Minho grinned up at her and his hand rested on her knee.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," he challenged. Marie opened her mouth to protest when Clint walked over. Minho moved out of the way, although a bit reluctantly. Minho felt his chest swell a little, seeing Marie in such a state. Of course, he had been looking at her all morning, but now that he had nothing to do, he could really take a few moments to actually see her. Her face was smeared in dirt and blood, scratches all over her arms and legs. Her hair was tangled and matted with mud and ash. Marie winced as Clint carefully turned her ankle back and forth.

"It doesn't look like it's sprained, you must have just twisted it," Clint mumbled. Marie could tell he was distracted- there were plenty of other hurt Gladers to attend to, some with worse injuries. She moved her leg and set her foot on the ground, stretching it out.

Marie eventually sent Clint away with the promise of her help with the wounded. She was about to follow him when Minho grabbed her hand. Marie frowned when he started to pull her in the opposite direction. He kept his back to her as they walked through the wreckage. It was odd, feeling his calloused hand against hers. Marie felt her fatigue fade as excitement boiled in her stomach.

"Minho, where are we going?" She asked as they entered the woods.

Minho looked back at her as they slowed to a stop. He seemed to hesitate a little, a small smile making it's way slowly across his face.

"I figured maybe we could use some more time alone."


	8. Confessions

_**Hello! It's been quite sometime, huh? The past few months have been tough, but I'm happy to finally be posting this chapter! Thank you all to the readers who have follow/favorited/reviewed since the last update, I really appreciate you all!.**_

 _ **Don't be afraid to leave a review! Feel free to contact me.**_

"Minho, where are we going?" Marie's voice chimed from behind Minho as he pulled her toward the Deadheads.

Minho felt electricity spike up his arm when she squeezed his hand. This was entirely new to him, this feeling...He wondered if Marie felt the same. At first, of course, he had dismissed it. They were friends, yes, but also Keepers with responsibility. And for the longest, she was the only girl in the Glade, which made him halt in his efforts- he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

He wasn't sure what to call it. Or whether it was right for him to be feeling it. But for the past few weeks, Minho had sensed that maybe she felt the same, too. And after the last night in the Glade, he didn't want to risk losing the chance to tell her. Or taking the chance of losing her.

Once they were well into he woods, Minho turned and took her hands in his. He was always so confident, yet there he stood with a weak stomach. He liked her, yes, he liked that fiesty little British girl. He liked how smart she was. Brilliant, actually. He liked the way she pieced things together in her mind, and how she was always quick to catch on to things. He liked her determined, headstrong attitude. He couldn't forget the way she had looked when they first met. Scared and brave all at the same time. They hadn't even known there were two kids in the Box at first. Newt told him once that when they woke up in the Box, Marie had forced him to hide behind one of the crates when the doors opened, until she gave him the signal that it was safe. It was impossible to know who was older, but Marie had always had that protectiveness in her that Minho admired. He liked that she was brave. And how she could be quiet yet loud at the same time.

"Minho?" Marie repeated.

Minho blinked and it brought him back to the girl standing in front of him.

"I need to tell you something," Minho began. His tongue was thick in his mouth. But he had to say it. "I care about you, Marie."

Marie didn't speak for a moment, and it made Minho nervous. Had he scared her? At first, she chuckled. Minho's ears lit up at the sound. "Minho, love." He _really_ liked it when she called him that. "I care about you, too."

Minho's chest almost collapsed. She didn't understand, and he wasn't sure he could explain it to her. "Marie, I-"

"But that's not what you mean, is it?" Marie suddenly asked. She bit the inside of her cheek. What was she supposed to say? Did she feel the same way? There was doubt tightening her chest. With all that was going on, this wasn't exactly the best time to be dealing with this. "You chose the worst time to bring this up."

"You don't have to answer," he said quickly. "I'm not asking for a response. I just wanted to let you know in case...something happened."

Marie squeezed his hands and he squeezed hers back. "When we make it out of here," she said quietly, "we'll come back to this. But right now, we need to focus on surviving."

Minho nodded. Of course, he knew that. Whatever...this...was, it wasn't more important than the problem at hand. The anxiousness in his chest was gone; he had told her, and that was that. His face got hot all of the sudden. Minho mentally kicked himself. He was cool, he was always cool, there wasn't hardly anything that could happen to him (short of Grievers attacking, anyway) that got him worked up. So why did Marie? Why did this tiny, feisty little Brit make him such a wimp?

Something soft pressed against his cheek. It was brief, and as Marie pulled away she saw that his eyebrows where raised. She didn't answer him, however, and instead started walking back towards the Glade. Minho's face tingled a little from her kiss, the corners of his mouth turning up into a smile as he followed her. Minho couldn't see it, but Marie's face was on _fire._ Her cheeks were flushed an embarrassing scarlet. Had they not just been attacked, one would think she and Minho had been...Marie was just happy that wasn't the case. What was she thinking, kissing him on the cheek like that? That was easy, she hadn't been thinking. It just happened. There was a quiet happiness, a giddiness that she could feel in her gut.

Minho liked her.

Something in her had always known, but now that he had actually admitted it, she felt excited, mainly because-

"Marie! There you are!" Newt rushed over to her, gasping for air. "I've been looking all over for you two!"

"What is it?" Marie urged, reaching out to him.

"What happened?" Minho asked. Lines of concern creased his forehead.

Newt took a moment to breathe. "It's...it's Gally, he's gone shucking mad. He wants to ban Thomas and Teresa to the Maze!"

There was screaming nearby. Marie recognized Teresa's cry. "Teresa!" She yelled, taking off in the direction of her voice. Minho and Newt swiftly followed behind.

In the center of the Glad, two Gladers were holding Teresa back, struggling to fight back her kicks and thrashing. Gally stood next to Thomas, who still laid unconscious on the ground. "Gally!" Marie exclaimed, "Just what the bloody hell do you think you're doing!"

Gally rolled his eyes so hard his head physically moved. "I'm doing what I have to-"

"Get away from her," Marie growled to the Gladers, who did as she told them. Teresa shot them a dirty look and rushed over to Newt and Minho as they joined them. "No, you're doing what you _want_ to. You can't just ban anyone you want without the Council's approval!"

"I already have a majority of the Council's approval. You, Minho, and Newt are clearly not fit to do what's right for this Glade," Gally said, sauntering up to her. He stood close, just a few inches from her. "You're obviously not thinking too much, Marie. You honestly think I didn't see you two go off into the Deadheads?" Gally's voice was low, even. It made Marie shiver.

"It's not what you think-"

"Why is your face red, Marie? It's not the adrenaline." Why did he care? Gally saw the question in her eyes. He backed away from her, "You know what? I don't even want to know. The only thing that matters, is that these two need to go. Now!"

Newt stepped forward. "Gally, wait. Okay, just listen to reason. At least wait until Thomas wakes up, please."

Gally seemed to consider this. Marie's eyes locked with her brother's.

He looked over at them, resolve dead set in his eyes. "Fine. Then, they go to the Maze."


	9. Aftermath

**We are nearing the end of _T_ _he_ _Maze Runner._ This fic is going to be roughly 30 chapters long, with 10 chapters dedicated to each part of the trilogy. No, it hasn't been discontinued. Updates are coming as fast as possible. Remember to give feedback- Your feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Enjoy.**

Teresa stared at Marie as though she were crazy. "Marie, I'm not going in that thing."

Marie sighed, head dropping. She looked back at Teresa with pleading eyes. "Please, Teresa. Just until we figure out what to do. I know you'll be safe in here."

The other female Glader looked at the slammer skeptically. In the waning twilight, the slammer looked like an endless abyss, all dark and empty. Newt and Minho emerged from it, climbing out one after the other. Marie could barely see the outline of Thomas lying on a cot inside. It had been hours since his attempted...whatever it was he was trying to do, but the boy had yet to wake up or even move. Gally had been taken to another part of the Glade to calm down. Since then, on the hour, he'd send someone over to tell Marie he needed to speak to her, though his efforts were in vain. She wasn't going to speak to him, not after what he said.

"Okay, I'll go," Teresa said, sounding tired. Marie could see her exhaustion in the way Teresa's shoulders sagged, how dark the area under her eyes were from being awake all night and day. Reluctantly, Teresa crawled down into the slammer, gripping Newt's outstretched hand to keep her balance. Marie leaned down to close the slammer door, locking it into place. She gave Teresa one last look of encouragement before turning to leave.

The Gladers were growing anxious as the sun began to set once more. The Gates remained opened, but there was no sign of any Grievers. Marie felt a chill run up her spine at the sight of the empty maze, left open to swallow them up. Minho's hand brushed against hers, and she looked up at him. He smiled at her, as though he were trying to reassure her. She smiled back slightly, but stopped when her brother began to speak to what Gladers remained.

They were all standing in a cluster in the center of the Glade, with the Keepers and Newt in the middle. There were only about half of them left.

Newt looked around for a moment, a grave expression on his face. Gally kept his gaze to the ground with his arms crossed.

"We'll take turns keeping a look out for Grievers," Newt began, "...I don't know what's happening. But we need to stick together if we want to make it through whatever is happening."

"What are we going to do?" Winston asked. His dark eyes were wrought with worry.

Newt didn't hesitate to answer. "Tonight, we rest. Tomorrow, we'll look for ways to block up the Gates. No one is going into the Maze."

Zart stepped forward. "I'll keep first watch."

"Me too," Minho added.

"Same here," Marie said.

Newt glanced between them and nodded. "Alright. Zart, Marie, Minho, and I will keep first watch. Frypan, Gally, Winston, and Clint, you're second watch. Good that?"

Murmurs of apprehension spread through the cluster of kids. As the sun disappeared over the maze walls, the remaining Gladers huddled in the center of the Glade, keeping the younger kids safely tucked within the center of the group. A few torches were lit, to provide light and safety from whatever decided to attack from the dark corners of the maze. The Keepers that were staying up took post on the sides of the group facing each Gate- Zart to the North, Minho to the East, Newt to the West, and Marie to the South. They didn't dare stray too far from the others, and so they each sat a few feet away with full attention on the Gates.

Before she went to her assigned post, Marie stumbled over to her brother, nearly tripping over a root in the process. Newt had already taken his seat on the ground. His hands were idly plucking up blades of grass from the ground. His sister sat down next to him, pulling her knees to her chest. Something had to be said. Marie had a feeling that Newt was thinking the same thing she was.

The torches burning dimly behind them made Newt look like a different person, his face all sharp edges and lines. It was bit ironic, actually. That was the way the Maze felt when it's hopelessness first began to crush it's captives. Sharp edges to make them hard-skinned, and lines to keep them going in circles forever, unable to escape the endless puzzle. With the concept of the Runners came a new sense of hope, accomplishment. But now even that seemed like an impossibility.

"Remember when Nick was alive," Marie said softly, to keep their conversation private.

Newt nodded. He didn't answer.

Marie turned her head to look at him. "When things got bad...We made that promise."

Newt nodded again, but didn't meet her eyes. Instead, he stared at the Gate. "...We promised we'd leave the Glade if it got that bad again," he finally said, his voice almost a whisper. "But this is different, Marie. We can't leave this bloody place."

"We don't have a choice," was her quiet reply, "we'll die in here if we stay."

"And the others? What of them?" Newt turned his head to look at her. His friendly brown eyes were dark, harsh.

It was Marie's turn to look away. She didn't want to leave the others behind. She turned her attention back to him. "Gally probably won't let us leave voluntarily. But Thomas...he can get us out of here. I know it."

She could see Newt mulling it over in his head. Of course, Gally wouldn't let them go, not without a fight. It would be nearly impossible to get out of the Glade with just the two of them. "It's too dangerous at night," Marie added, quickly, "but if we could wake Thomas up and leave during the day, we'd have a better chance of getting the bloody hell out of here."

Newt was quiet a few moments. Marie fought the urge to beg him to go with her. There was no other way to survive. Hell, even if they didn't survive, at least they wouldn't die in the Glade.

"You're banking a lot on some kid who couldn't even remember his name," Newt finally whispered to her.

Marie shook her head, moving to stand up. That was confirmation enough for her. "He's all I've got to go on. Tomorrow, we plan."

Newt nodded once more. He briefly watched his sister's retreating form before turning to watch the Maze.

Marie stepped carefully around the sleeping Gladers until she returned to her spot. Sitting down, she began to work out plans for escape in her mind as a cool wind blew through the maze. The wind tossed her hair about, but she paid no mind.

Somehow, she was getting her brother out of there.


	10. Escape

**Me: Wow I love this fic, I hate that it takes so long for the author to upload. :/  
Also me: *doesn't upload for like five months***

 **I have no excuse. This entire chapter was written from memory because I didn't have the books or movies available to reference and there was nothing on the wiki or youtube for the parts I was fuzzy on. Yes, we have reached the end of The Maze Runner. Up next for Marie & Co. is the Scorch Trials! This chapter ends a little before the start of the second film because my internet connection is sketchy and I don't want to loose anything.**

 **What part of The Maze Runner made you all fall in love with it, and where are you all from?**

 **Enjoy!**

Thomas looked like a small child sitting there, eyes large and glassy. Dirt was smudged across his face from the constant flow of tears. Teresa had done some good to calm him down, although he was beginning to relapse back into broken sobs and incoherent speech.

Marie hadn't been entirely surprised when Thomas woke and told them he and Teresa had worked for the Creators, or rather, WCKD. Neither was Newt or Minho, for that matter. Teresa took it the hardest, shedding a few tears but remaining calm unlike Thomas, who was an emotional wreck.

Marie, Newt, and Minho were crowded around the opening of the slammer, almost shoulder to shoulder, to speak to Teresa and Thomas. Sunlight filtered in through the bars, giving the dimly lit hole a little light.

"Okay, so," Marie said, "What do we do now?" She kicked out her legs a little as she sat on the edge of the Slammer, legs situated between the wooden bars.

The look Thomas gave her could only be described as a mix of disbelief and horror. "...Didn't you hear what I just said? I worked for WCKD! I-"

"Yeah, I got that, mate. Say it a little louder so Gally can hear you."

Minho, who was standing behind her, shoved her head to the side. She retaliated by elbowing his leg.

Thomas shook his head, staring down at his hands. "How can you just gloss over that?"

Newt spoke up, something about how the only thing that mattered was who they were now, and what they were going to do. Marie was only half listening, though. Her attention was on Teresa, who had been wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Teresa caught her gaze and sniffed a little, nodding her head to let her friend know she was okay. Marie seemed satisfied with that and turned her attention back to the boys. They were talking about an escape plan.

"...Gally is planning to sacrifice you two to the Grievers tomorrow. He thinks somehow that's going to help all this," Minho dropped the bad news, gesturing to the Glade.

Thomas sniffed and rubbed his eyes with shaky hands. Teresa shook her head, running her hands through her hair.

Newt nodded. "Alright, so we have until tonight to figure out what to do. Any suggestions?"

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Anxiety was beginning to eat away at the bottom of Marie's stomach, making it churn and twist as she followed her brother to the West Gate. The surviving Gladers followed along, all eyes fixed on Gally as he led them to a spot merely ten feet from the opening of the Maze. The plan was almost in motion; It had been an easy choice to pick Chuck to gather the supplies needed for their escape- Gally would have noticed Marie, Minho, or Newt not being present when he banished Thomas and Theresa. Chuck was small and innocent enough to slip by everyone's attention unnoticed.

Zart was charged with Teresa- she was, for the most part, docile as he led her to two stakes that had been pushed into the ground. Teresa glanced at Marie for half a second before averting her gaze. Thomas, lying limply in his captor's arms, was half-carried to one of the stakes. His head was down, eyes shut as though he were unconscious. The two Gladers holding him upright looked to Gally for further instruction.

Marie held her breath. Everyone was watching Gally. Under the summer heat, he looked a little red, nervous, like he was second-guessing himself. She could only hope that he was doing just that. Throwing two innocent kids into a deathtrap like the Maze was an unfit punishment for anyone.

"Tie her up," Gally suddenly said.

Marie nearly choked on her own spit as Zart began to pull Teresa toward the stake. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but she began to struggle harder and harder as they approached.

"Gally, what are you doing!" Teresa shouted, trying to yank her hands away as Zart tied them above her head to the stake. She winced as the roped tightened. Frantically, she turned to the Gladers, "Why are you all just standing there? He's insane!"

"Can you shut up?" Gally asked, mildly annoyed.

"If you stay here, the Grievers are going to come back and keep coming back until you're all dead!" Teresa exclaimed.

Her claim didn't fall on deaf ears. The Gladers all looked between one another, whispering. Doubt was beginning to spread through the crowd. Was this really right? Would sacrificing Teresa and Thomas really help anything at all?

"Gag her," Gally commanded through gritted teeth.

Teresa thrashed around as Zart began tying a cloth around her mouth. Her panicked gaze landed on Marie.

"Gally!" Marie suddenly said, "Is this really necessary?"

Newt looked at her in bewilderment. He grabbed her arm as she tried to step forward, uttering, "What are you doing?" under his breath.

Gally was giving her a similar look. "You got something to add?"

Marie laughed a little, trying to make it seem like she was joking. It came out as a nervous chuckle. "C'mon, Gally. _Sacrificing?_ You don't think that's a little much?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Newt kept watch for Chuck. As soon as the kid gave the signal that he was ready with the supplies, they would act. So far, nothing. Where was he?

The wind blew hard, shuffling Marie's hair into her face. She pushed her bangs away, fingers tangling in her curly hair. Gally stared at her, hard. So she continued.

"I know that it seems really scary, Gally. _I'm_ scared. But," Marie swallowed nervously, "we've survived here this long by staying together, love. Killing Thomas and Teresa will only make things worse."

Gally shook his head, averting his gaze to the ground. Newt glanced over towards the Map Room. Chuck should have been there, but there was no sign of him. Gally's next statement made Newt's head snap back forward.

"You wanna join 'em? This isn't a game, Marie. It's not some dumb story where the power of friendship saves them in the end, okay? _This_ is real. We have _no other choice!"_

Minho stepped forward in front of Marie as Gally raised his voice. Gally's piercing gaze went right through him to Marie. Newt put his arm around her shoulders, a hard stare marring his usually friendly persona.

A waving hand in his peripheral caught Newt's attention. Standing over a few feet away was Chuck, riddled with weapons and bags of supplies. The young boy gave a thumbs up as he ran over to them.

"It's time," Newt muttered.

Marie stiffened. Her eyebrows furrowed in an apologetic gesture as Gally looked on with bewilderment. "I'm really sorry, Gally," she said.

Many things happened at once. Thomas sprang out of his feigned stupor, fighting off the two Gladers that tried to hold him down. Chuck gave spears to Newt and Thomas and machetes to the rest of the disbanding group. Marie rushed forward to cut Teresa free from her binds, while Newt and Minho followed to take a stance in front of the Maze. Gally struggled to keep his cool as his entire plan crumbled around him. His hands shrunk into tight fists, breathing turning into angry huffs as realization hit him. The rest of the Gladers watched on in shock. Thomas took to the center front of his little group, pointing his spear at Gally protectively.

Marie took a deep breath, exhaling slowly from her mouth and inhaling again. Taking in the humid, sticky air of the only home she'd ever had. Goosebumps rose on her skin with the understanding that these were the last breaths she would take there, in what had been a difficult yet enduring time of her life.

It was time to finally leave the Glade for good.


End file.
